There is nothing better than freshly made pita bread. Soft and pillowy and freshly warm. Pair it with a delicious falafel recipe, tzatziki sauce, and some fresh veggies and you got yourself the perfect vegan greek gyro.
A crunchy golden brown outer layer with a soft moist flavorful filling…these falafels are to die for. Paired with a creamy yogurt-based greek tzatziki sauce and crunchy fresh veggies.
What is great about this recipe is the falafels are baked! It makes the cooking process 10x easier and omits the excess oil. However, if you like the taste of it being pan-fried transfer the falafels from the oven to a hot skillet with oil and quickly brown them on all sides.
I stuffed the falafels in homemade pita bread. You don’t have to go the extra mile to make it yourself, so store-bought pita bread is just fine! However, you can’t beat anything homemade. I used Vegan Richas recipe.
This recipe is…
- Healthy & 100% vegan
- Easy & simple
- Fluffy & perfectly moist
- Delicious
Easy Vegan Falafels with Tzatziki Sauce
By: Taavi Moore Makes: 13-14 falafels
Ingredients
Falafels
- 1 15 oz. can rinsed/drained chickpeas
- 1/2 chopped yellow onion
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp chopped fresh mint
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Dash of red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour*
Tzatziki
- 1/2 cup non-dairy yogurt
- 1/3 cup grated cucumber
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 heaping tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, pulse together all ingredients except flour until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in flour until incorporated. Refrigerate for 30 min.
- Take 2 tbsp of mixture at a time and roll into balls (lightly flour your hands for this method), or use an ice cream scoop. Space evenly on the baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 min. or until golden brown.
- While falafels are baking, prepare the sauce. Whisk together all the ingredients until smooth.
- Serve falafels in pita bread with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber. Drizzle on the tzatziki sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
*Feel free to substitute the AP flour for a gluten-free one such as brown rice or a pre-made gluten-free blend.
